Stances



TALIAFERRO l. SHAliFNElL-OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Letters Patent N 93,757, dated August 17, 1869.

IMPROVED METHOD 0F BLASTING- WITH GUNPOWDER AND OTHER EXPLOSIVE SUB- STANCES.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part n! the sameA To all whom Ait mayconcnn Be it known that I, TALL-umano l. Snam-wait, of the eitv ot' Louisville, county oi' J'eii'erson, State of Kentucky, have invented a new and improved Mode or Method of Blasting with Gunpowder and other Explosive Substances, by compounding, mixing, or treating gunpowdcr, gnu-cotton, and explosive substances commonly used t'er blasting or disrupting-purposes, with non or parta-explosive materials, t'or the purpose ot' etiecting greater success than possible to attain bythe said expioshe substances when not mixed as hereinafter described; and, in order to enable others skilled in the arts to which it belongs, to make and use the saine, Ido bneby declare the followingto be a. clear and exact description ot' the same.

Figures l, 2, and 3, show the modes of arranging the said mixture in drill-holes.

Fig. lsltows the gunpowder to be lnixed with rottenstone, plaster ot' Paris, nitrated carbon, Ae., throughout the whole charge, A A being the tamping, and .l B the charge.

Fig. 2 represents the gunpowder placed in layers, and may have, or may not use the gnnpowder mixed as in lig. 1, as one ot'the layers, as shown in thedrawing by the coloring.

Fig. 3 represents another arrangement ofthe mixed and unmixed parts, practically the same as the tigs. 1 and 2, bel'ore mentioned.

My invention consists in applying gun-cotton, gunpo\\^der,'or any explosivo substance, whether in libre, granulated, mealed,cakcd,compressed, or otherwise, in combination with non or partial-explosive substances, intlannnablc or non-iniiannnable lnatter, whether solids or liquids, t'or the purpose ofadjnsting the disruptive t'orce ot' thc said explosive substance, to accomplish any d ed object. For examplc- .lfi st, in the use ot'gun-cotton, or analogous explosive substances, mixed with tow ot' hcmp or flax, bark, wild or other cotton, cat-tail, ('Iypha Rulfo/ita) or other fibrous material. lhe gun-cotton may bc mixed with anyone or more of the said niatcrials,onc half proportions ot' cach, oi' Otherwise proportioned, the said mixture to be either loose or compressed, of any desired density.

Secondly, in the usc 'of gnnpowder, (made of, say, seventy-six parts of saltpctre, twelve parts charcoal, and ten parts snlphur,) or explosive powder ot' whatsoever kind, mixed with pulverized or granulated calciued plasterot laris, Xavassaphosphate, rotten-stone, or silicious matter generally, pulver-ized or granulated coke, rosin, or earbonil'erous substances generally-,nictallio oxides, filings, oies, or metals, in other conditions.

lhe practical'cti'ect. realized iu blasting, (or otherwise using the said gun-cotton or other nitrated libre,

mixed with non or pa .al-explosive or inflammable substances.) will be according to a sliding-scale adj ustment ot the explosivo force upon any desired cubic space.

The gases liberated oi evolved by the explosion will act upon an increased surface.

lhe non-explosive materials may bo made partial explosives b v a quick sui nicrsiou in a liquid composed ot' one part nitric acid otlSO Baume1 specilio gravity, and t-wo parts sulphurir acid ot' titi@ Baume, speoitic gravity, and thcu subject ld to washing with pure water and soda, or other allrdi, orthe said nraterials` may be steeped for a tew hours in a Solution ot'saltpetre or nitrate ct' soda, chlowt'oipotoslncs By preference, l employ a hydraulic press to force the said solution into tho said material, as spccitied in my Letters latent, No. 60,570, granted on the 18th day of December, 1866; also, No. 60,571, dated 18th December, 1866.

.lu regard to the using of gunpowdcr, or other kinds of explosive powders, mixed as betore mentioned, the cti'ect will be the saine as that mentioned with respect to gun-cotton.

'lhc rapidity ot the explosion is graduated to contorni to the requirement ofthe case; for example, in squib or scani-lnasti|ig,tl1c gases evolved upon the explosion, expand pmpaxsn with the yielding ot'the disrupting mattei'. I

ln blasting coal, it docs not pnlverize it or break it into small pieces, nor blow out, onlycolI-.triug tho hole, but, on the contrary, the gases expand as the coal dis rupts, and yields to the pressure otthc gases evolved.

The non or partial explosive substances mentioned,

may be used simple, or may be treated with a solution ot' saltpetre, nitrato otsoda, ehloratc ol'potash, (c and, by preference, 1 would use a hydraulic press to torf-c the said nitreorothcr substances into and throughout thc said materials.

ln the case ot`1'osiu,and the like materials such treatment with nitre is unnecessary, `but with it )ect to 'blasting-powder, of whatsoever kind,I would prefer using pulver-ized eolie or granulated calcined plasteroi' laris, introduced as before mentioned. Neither-ot' these give otl' smoke or poisonous gases. And further, by the use there will be no delay or decomposition ot' the explosive powder or mixture when in store or transportation, as might be the case in tho use of mutter' holding acid or wa er.

'lhc said gnnpowdcl', or other explosive substance or substances, either in partor in whole, may bc mixed or compounded, as above described, at, tho niannl'aetory, upon tho licld or works, where and when used.

lt may be placed, in alternate layers, in a drill-hole or cavity, in rock or other substance.

Having thus described the nature ol' my invention,

Witnesses;

ffJAMps DEVEAU, 

